Daughter of Villains
by BlackndRose
Summary: Zana was brought to the Sinnoh region for a visitation with her mother, a former admin of Team Galactic. Her father hopes it will teach her that she should help him, better than her older brother had. That, however, is not what happened.
1. Chapter 1 Adopted

Daughter of Villains

Chapter 1

Adopted

I was at Lake Verity when I was found by a staraptor. Its call scared me and I backed up quickly into the bushes, scared that Ghetsis was coming back for me. I was only 10 years old at the time but I knew I should fear the man who had come from Unova with me. I couldn't go back to Ghetsis, not after what I had done. Not after N had fled.

"Who's there?" A deep, stern sounding voice called from the waterside. It didn't sound like Ghetsis, but it could easily be another villain coming for me. I began shaking as another being started to rustle through the bushes. A fluffy brown face of a bidoof poked out from where I was staring at, hoping and praying it wouldn't be a Team Plasma or Team Galactic pokémon. It cocked its head to the side and looked at me.

_Is she okay? _I heard his thoughts clearly and I nodded to him weakly, pulling out the small pouch I carried my pokeball in to show him I had my own friend.

_She could be a threat! _He perked up at the sight of the pokeball.

"No! I'm not a threat, please, just go." I whispered quickly, scared of the footsteps coming closer.

_You can hear my thoughts? _I nodded as I scurried farther back into the bushes until I backed into a tree.

"Bidoof? What did you find?" The voice echoed with authority. The bidoof disappeared for a moment, and then an older man came into sight with the pokémon next to him. "Hello there. What's your name?"

He certainly wasn't a criminal, but I couldn't be sure if I could trust him so I stood and pulled my young body onto a branch. I braced myself for an attack and grabbed my pokeball, ready to let out my trapinch to help me.

"No, no. I won't harm you." He held out his arms for me. "Come on down. You look pretty hungry."

It was true, too. I hadn't eaten a full meal in a few days at that point. My dear trapinch had brought me some berries, when she found them. I couldn't take them all from her, and only took maybe a third of what she offered. I had pulled her into her ball an hour before when I thought I'd heard Ghetsis returning.

"I'm Professor Rowan. Where are your parents?" He was patient, obviously since I hadn't budged.

"Can you speak?" His arms were still raised, and finally, I nodded. Maybe not everyone was like the people I'd grown up around. He wasn't worried or scared of my appearance, but he didn't recognize the purple braid or the red eyes either.

"Can you tell me your name?" He stepped closer now and the bidoof climbed onto his shoulder.

_Come on. You can trust the professor. _

"Zana." I didn't tell him my last name, it didn't matter anymore.

"Well, Zana, come down here with me. I can help you find your parents." He was right under the branch with his arms ready to catch me, despite him being older. He was kind of scary looking, but in the sense that he was obviously someone with a standing in society.

"No. They're gone." I whispered, looking down. I knew he'd think they were dead, but I considered them to be.

"I'm sorry, Zana." He used my name again, as if trying to make me comfortable. "Still, come with me. We need to get you fed and a bath wouldn't hurt."

"If I come with you, you could be in danger." I prepared myself to run, to protect this kind man but thought better of it.

"Why would you cause me any danger?"

"No. Not me, I couldn't hurt anyone." I furrowed my brow. Why couldn't I have been born a normal child? "People are after me."

I still didn't tell the whole truth. The fact that my mother was Jupiter, from Team Galactic and my father was Ghetsis. I didn't tell him that I was Ghetsis's back up child.

"Who is after you?" His bidoof looked at me with worried eyes.

"Just mean people. They chased me from Sunyshore City." My legs were tired from the crouch I was in and I finally let my legs hang down from the branch.

"You ran all the way here?" He looked astonished that I hadn't been attacked or no one else had found me. "You can't be any older than 8."

"I'm 10 years old!" I argued, crossing my arms. It was a sensitive spot, the fact I looked much younger than I was.

"I'm sorry, Zana. Will you come with me to my lab?" He motioned for me get in his arms. I felt bad. His arms must be tired.

I let myself fall into the professor's arms and he held me tightly. I felt safe for the first time in a long time. He took me quickly to his lab in the nearby city of Sandgem and got me situated. His aide, Dunstan, was shocked but hastily set to calling the authorities about me. They found almost no record at all on me. They found only a birth certificate, which I nearly cried over when Professor Rowan looked up at me, knowing who my birth parents are. He suddenly understood my situation and he began the new process of adopting me. Somehow, he did.

He raised me for years at a large sanctuary he owned with many different ecosystems for pokémon to live in, and I loved it. I went to school, befriended pokémon and lived. Though, I only spoke to two people during this time: the professor, who was rapidly aging, and Dunstan. Dunstan specialized in ghost pokémon and taught me every aspect on them, and brought in other trainers who loved one type. I was taught everything known, besides what I had learned already with my private tutors in Unova. I loved the professor, though he was a strict guardian. He never allowed much noise, which I was fine with. As my trapinch grew into a vibrava and then a flygon, however, he grew to be a bit more lenient on the noise rule.

On my 20th birthday, I got a phone call as soon as my flygon touched ground in Pastoria City. When I hung up, even my pigheaded fraxure seemed to sense the sadness filling my heart. I called fraxure back to his ball, even though I had just sent him out.

Back home in Hearthome City, I was greeted by a nurse with a grim look. The call had said the professor wouldn't be joining me at the safari zone and I fought to deny the reason. I couldn't fight it any longer when I saw the man lying in his bed looking fragile.

_He was just strong yesterday._ Flygon reminded me with her head hanging down.

"Zana, come here." The professor motioned me forward and sat up. He wrapped me in a weak hug and whispered. "Your parents stopped by, but I refused to hand you over."

Tears came to my eyes, and I nearly screamed. They'd done this, I knew they did.

"Do they know of what you can do?" He said when he released me from the hug. Dunstan stood in the corner with his head bowed. He knew that I could hear the thoughts of people and pokémon, though it hurt me to hear people.

"Yes." I nodded and a tear slipped down my cheek.

"I'll be fine, Zana. Please, don't worry about me."

"How could I not? Every night, I've wished that I was born your daughter instead of who I was born to." I clenched my fists and flygon touched my back with her head.

"It doesn't matter who you're biological father is, because you will always be my daughter here." He touched his chest with one hand and mine with his other. I threw my arms around him with a mixture of sadness and joy.

_He loves you very much._ His bibarel sat next to him with anguish on his face.

"I know he does. I love him too." I reached over to touch the pokémon's head kindly.

I sat by the professor's side all day and into the night while he slept. Dunstan told me that the pokemon here at the sanctuary were affected by this event as well. Many wouldn't leave the hallway outside the professor's room. Not until the morning when finally, the professor drew one last strong breath.

Bibarel threw himself at the professor and cried until Dunstan pulled him off and helped the distraught pokémon while he too struggled with tears. Dunstan never cried, for as long as I knew him.

"Wake up, please." I whispered, suddenly wishing I had never left that tree ten years ago. If I hadn't, he could still be alive. I grasped his hand tightly and wept.

_He was poisoned, Zana. I can smell it. _My flygon looked ready to kill, as she felt the same sensation spread through me.

"They killed him?" I questioned to no one particularly.

"What?" Dunstan looked up at me, but I just shook my head. The medics came in and took the professor's body away an hour later, and I called my college to tell them I wouldn't be there for about a week.

The professor had gotten me into the best college in Sinnoh, since I had decided not to drop out at 11 to become a top trainer. Instead, I had stayed here to train _and_ learn. He taught me that one could have the best of both, if you set your mind to it. I sniffled at the memory of that lecture.

I nearly decided to drop out of school, but Professor Rowan wouldn't have wanted that for me. Instead, I'd try the best I could to get the revenge I planned in the upcoming vacation in the school's schedule. I knew it would take me the whole month between that moment and the first day of summer break to prepare to see my parents once again, but for now, all I could do was mourn.


	2. Chapter 2 A Big Risk

Chapter 2

A Big Risk

I stepped outside the next morning, furiously wiping at the tears appearing in my eyes. A group of baby pokemon followed behind me, too young to understand where the professor had gone. Togepi, cleffa, buneary, and petilil kept closely huddled as they all followed after me. Constantly telling me they want to play in the grasslands, which was where I was taking them. I was taking the short cut to the flower grasslands that thrived inside the sanctuary's gigantic dome. I marveled at the professor's accomplishment at creating a place where all pokémon from every region could live in peace. He hadn't done it alone of course; he had help from other professor's from other regions.

Within the next 48 hours, they'd all be here once again for a less joyous occasion. I wiped at my eyes again and tried not to think of the upcoming funeral.

"Are you okay?" A familiar voice asked just before I got to the side door. I turned to see a man my age, but couldn't place a name with the face. I knew if he lived here he probably went to school with me but I'd been so disconnected I barely knew anyone's name.

"You haven't heard?" Dunstan's wife, Molly, whispered so I couldn't hear. I still heard her, though. The woman's light pink hair was tied up into a tight bun and her dark blue eyes showed the sadness she felt.

"What?"

"The professor, he died." A tear slipped down her cheek. Many people were mourning the loss of him. The man looked up at me, said something to his mother and came over to hold the door for me. I was just about to open it, since I'd already swiped my ID card through the scanner so I stiffened my back and just allowed the simple action to occur.

The man followed me to the large flowery area solemnly and didn't even smile at the cute pokémon that bounced past us. I knew he was pitying me at the moment, I could feel it in the air and reading that feeling gave me a sharp pain in the back of my head. A bellossom and oddish popped up from a place in the flowers nearby but disappeared again just as suddenly.

"Are you okay, Zana?" The man asked again. I nodded, hoping it would make him leave. "Can you talk?"

My eyes welled with tears as the memory of the day I met the professor and he asked that very same question filled my mind.

"I'm sorry." The man rushed as he realized something he said upset me. "It's just you never even spoke in school. Not while I was there, at least."

"Why are you here?" I said after I had folded my legs on the grass.

"Well, I thought you might need some company since you lost your father." I was reminded of how the world considered me to be Professor Rowan's daughter, because no one knew the truth.

"I don't even know you." I hoped my bluntness would offend him, since he knew me, and he'd leave me alone with the pokémon. I was used to being alone with pokémon and wanted to keep it like that. Ghetsis had taught me not to trust humans a little too well, he said. I _only_ trusted pokémon, besides those two special people in my life. Though, it was down to one trusted person now.

"I'm Ronin Eventide. I think we sat next to each other in class before I went on my journey." He held out his hand to shake but from the angle I saw him from made me wary. His black hair was spiked in the back, but his bangs cast a dark shadow across his face and the dark blue eyes looked just as dark as the shadow. He was much taller than me, but I wasn't scared. His image made me wary, but not the feeling of pity around him.

Still, I refused to touch his hand so I only nodded. "You're Dunstan's son, then?"

I knew his face seemed more familiar than just a school mate. He took after his father. I assumed he didn't know about Professor Rowan's death because Dunstan still hasn't left the building. Actually, I suspected that he was in the ruins we reconstructed here for dark and ghost pokémon to go to when not in one of the 8 areas based on the eight habitats in the wild.

"Yes, do you remember when I visited the lab? I even came on one of the expeditions with you and the professor to Kanto." How did that slip my mind? Maybe it was all this stress and pain. The professor had made me swear to stay close to Ronin, despite my arguments. I was constantly observing the boy, aware that at any moment he could try something. I knew I took after Jupiter where good looks were concerned and I hated it.

"I remember you now." I bit out. I wanted to be alone.

_Do you want us to make him leave? _A small voice drifted from behind me, where a sentret sat on its ringed tail. I shook my head to him and he nodded softly.

_If you need us, we're all here for you. You did save us after all._ My nidoqueen and nidoking thought to me from the place they sat on a little bit away from where the small pokémon played.

"My father called me back the Hearthome City saying there was a problem he needed my help with." The way he said it, he thought it had to do with the professor.

"The dome. The door won't open correctly for the pokémon." I pointed to the door that was stuck halfway open. It was meant to open for pokémon and keep everything else out. We built the dome so that none of the elements could harm the pokémon that were weak to it. Water pokémon didn't mind that rain wasn't allowed in, not with the huge waterfall and large lakes scattered throughout the sanctuary.

"Oh." He eased into a comfortable position. "I was afraid that he wanted me to be the new aide."

"No. _I'm _the new aide." I snapped. After I finished school, that is, but I didn't say that out loud.

"Are you always this rude?" A brave electrike approached Ronin and sniffed at him.

"Only to most humans." I turned my head away and pulled my knees up to my chest. Why wouldn't he leave? I just wanted to be with pokémon at the moment.

"Why?" I didn't bother answering since several pokémon alerted me that Dunstan was coming. There would be none of the excited bouncing from any of the pokémon old enough to know what happened to the professor today, and it felt odd. These pokémon were always happy. A number of the pokémon here were actually mine, since I chose to keep them here instead of having to pull them from the PC so it killed me to see them sad.

"Oh, Ronin, there you are. Your mother told me you'd followed Zana in here. Do you think you could look at the door up there?" Ronin had helped build it with Dunstan but Dunstan had no pokémon who could carry him up to the door like Ronin did. Well, he helped as much a 10 year old kid could.

"Sure." He stood and called out his mandibuzz. I lifted my head to the pokémon that I remembered slightly. It was a determined little vullaby the last time I had seen it though. The professor would've loved to see the evolved form of the dark pokémon.

I stayed where I was for a long time before pulling myself up. I told the little pokémon to take care, and a kangaskhan took over watching the small ones. My legs took me to the boarding rooms for visiting researchers or trainers where the urban pokémon also resided. It was actually part of the main building, but we often referred to it as the urban area.

A meowth and skitty sat on the steps next to one of the small houses batting sadly at a stick. Above, the dragon and flying pokémon flew around either to another area or the cave at the top of the mountain where many of them slept. My flygon flew above me after resting in the rough-terrain area with peaceful, but sad, thoughts. She landed next to the large door I was headed towards.

_Are you going to eat? _I felt the worry come from her, since I hadn't eaten since before we left for the safari zone.

"No. I just need to think." Before I went inside, I turned to watch the mandibuzz ascend into the air, and then hovering for Ronin to fix the door. Flygon and I could've done that, I thought. The less people here, the better.

I mentally chastised myself. The professor wouldn't have wanted me thinking like that. He was constantly trying to get me to make friends.

I pulled at the end of my loose braid and looked at the light purple hair. I was grateful I hadn't inherited the bright purple hair from Jupiter but the muted characteristic the Ghetsis had added to the purple.

_We're going to the tower? _I nodded to flygon. The tower had always been my safe zone. I could see if anyone was coming, I could prepare to be around those people by watching them for signs of threats. I had to be cautious.

"He didn't seem in pain, did he?" I noted out loud.

_No, not at all. _My flygon's kind voice soothed my latest worry.

"Pain or no pain, I have to avenge him, you know. I can't let them go around killing people. It isn't right." It was odd, worrying about the lives of humans, but I brushed it off with a simple excused. Every human is loved by a pokémon, and I wouldn't want any other pokémon to face what bibarel was facing now: the loss of his human.

_What if you die in the process?_ The worry returned to her voice.

"I will go down fighting, flygon. Let's just hope it won't come to that, okay?" I watched her nod before she told me to get on her back and she flew to the top of the tower within seconds.

_You're weak from not eating, Zana. Those stairs wouldn't have helped._ She responded to my protests when we landed.

"Do you think N is okay?" I looked out the south windows and leaned against a column. My brow furrowed at the thought of my half brother. I hadn't heard from him for a year before Ghetsis even brought me here, hoping Jupiter would convince me to help him.

_I don't know. He was a very submissive and trusting child, remember? For all we know, he could've gone back. It would explain why they didn't find you before. _

"Is it even safe for us to be here? If they know I'm here and they killed a man as well known as the professor, they might still be nearby? They could be in that house there for all we know." I pointed to the small cottage just inside of town.

_Honestly, Zana, I think they've known for a while. There aren't that many people with red eyes. I think they were laying in wait. _

"You mean that you think they planned to kill Professor Rowan all along? If they were laying in wait, they'd know that I wasn't there when they demanded that he give me to them." I concluded with a grim tone.

_Most likely, Ghetsis planned to kill him even if you were here. He's a possessive creep and you are his key to world domination. Plus, the professor knew about what you could do. _

"Dunstan knows too. He was here yesterday, why didn't they kill him with the professor?" I turned to flygon.

_I don't know, Zana. Maybe it was to disturb you. Dunstan is close to you, but the professor was closer. _

"I wish the professor was here." I sank down to the ground with hard, body-wracking sobs and flygon laid next to me, wrapping her long tail around me in a type of hug. We stayed like that for I don't know how long, until a duskull floated up the stairs with Dunstan following behind it.

He pulled me into a hug, but it wasn't the same as the professor. I was still shaking with tears pouring down my face when he finally released me. He stayed silent while he helped me down the stairs, periodically stopping when the sobs were too great to keep going. Flygon tried to get me to let her fly me down, but I refused vehemently. Duskull simply lead the way into the large dining room where all the workers ate silently, they too mourning the professor.

I managed to compose myself long enough to eat, but I knew I looked like hell. People said their condolences when they passed me but didn't stop to talk. They were used to my silence, though I occasionally discussed academic subjects with a few of them. I held back another round of sobs as I remembered that most of these discussions were encouraged by Professor Rowan.

"Zana, I want you to spend the rest of the day with Ronin. The professor wanted you two to be friends, and what better way to honor him? He's my son; doesn't that help you trust him?" Dunstan said when he led me from the room. Flygon had gone to eat with her pokémon friends, and I had planned to go see my pokémon.

"Dunstan, I really don't think—"

"Don't think, Zana. Let it come naturally. He's a good boy. I don't approve on his decision to be a fulltime trainer, but he'll be a good friend. He wanted to be friends even when you two were still kids and now all he wants is to be there for you in your time of need. Let him do that."

I blinked at Dunstan. This was the most he'd spoke to me on the subject of friends ever. "You sound like Professor Rowan." I sniffled.

"Take him out for a tour of the areas. Introduce him to the pokémon. Do _something _with him. He'll be around a lot anyways." He began walking away, his unique black lab coat trailing behind.

"What do you mean?" I called after him.

"I didn't tell you? He'll be an employee here. Not an aide, but he's going to be doing maintenance and helping the pokémon. He may even escort you to school." I stood stock still. I wouldn't be able to get out of this.

"Why?"

"To make sure you're safe." The way he spoke, it sounded as if he knew that I was planning to go after Ghetsis and Jupiter.

"I don't want a friend. I can still talk to you, and I have the pokémon." I tried to stand my ground, with my chin held high.

"I won't always be here, Zana, and when that day comes, all you'll have is pokémon. Not one human soul alive to talk to, to advise you, to comfort you." His words chipped away at me resolve.

"Pokémon can do all of that, Dunstan. They can talk, advise, comfort and more." I tried to get back on my feet in this argument.

"Zana, they don't know some of the situations we come across. It may be different for you, since you know what they think, and know what they feel, but remember you aren't a pokémon. You will be completely cut off from the human world eventually. What about a family, Zana? Don't you want to ever feel that joy of watching a child-your child-grow up in the world? Don't you ever want to feel love? I've seen you watch me and Molly. Don't you ever want what we have?"

"I'm not telling you to do all this with Ronin, just start with him. Talk with him, bond with him. Just do something." His eyes were filled with sorrow and pleading as he spoke. I had to duck my head and let my bangs hide my eyes as employee began filing out of the dining room. They looked away too, embarrassed that they overheard a bit of the lecture.

"I'll try. I'll try for Professor Rowan." I sucked in a breath to hold back tears. I didn't know Dunstan was worried about me losing touch with humanity. But now, I could feel it. Even if it hurt my head to read his feelings, I let them enter my mind in an attempt to tell myself I could do this, for both the professor and Dunstan.

"That's all I can ask for." He tried to smile at me, but the week's events just didn't allow it to work. No one around here would be smiling for a while.

I turned to a restroom to clean up before I went to find Ronin for my first attempt at friendship. I can't deny I was nervous, but I was true to my word. I wouldn't let Dunstan and the professor down, even if Ronin would eventually stand in my way on my quest to get revenge. I made myself look as decent as one could in the circumstances and headed towards the dome. Any trainer would spend their free time in there.

My rapidash and ponyta ran up to me with nothing but the want to comfort me. I suppose all of my pokémon could feel my nerves on high. The entire walk to the ruins, I would see my pokémon and they'd send comforting and encouraging thoughts my way. Smeargle tried to touch me with the blue tip of its tail and I managed a giggle. He seemed pleased that he had been able to make his human smile, if only for a moment.

"Zana?" Ronin stood from the spot in the ruins where he had been playing with his pokémon.

"Hey." I tugged on the end of my braid.

"Do you need something?" He seemed confused, probably remember all the times I gave him the cold shoulder.

"I wanted to know if you'd like to take a risk." I looked down, but felt a nudge and a little zap from my luxray, pushing me towards Ronin before running back to the grasslands. He was one of the six pokémon I brought everywhere with me, along with flygon, sealeo, frazure, nintails, and breloom. If the protective and proud luxray thought I should do this, then I guessed I really should.

"What risk?" He was on alert now.

"I wanted to know if you wanted to be friends." I couldn't look him in the eyes but with the relief I felt coming towards me mixed with happiness, I already knew the answer.

"What do you want to do first?" He eased back down into the position he was in before I came and his mightyena sniffed at me.

_Hello. Who are you? _She thought, not expecting an answer.

"Hey. I'm Zana." I kneeled next to the pokémon and pet her head. She seemed surprised that I heard her, but pleased to. "I don't really know what to do with a friend my age. I feel like a little kid again."

"Just come join me in here. We'll just talk." He looked up at me. "If that's okay with you."

"Yeah, it's fine." I straightened my jean shorts and the black vest I had over my white t-shirt before sitting in the window hole. I was very hesitant at first, but by dinner time he had taken my mind off of some of the more stressful things. I didn't relax, though. I had taken my promise seriously and made a move to be friends but I didn't trust Ronin completely. This whole thing really was a risk.


	3. Chapter 3 Back to School

Chapter 3

Back to School

I felt so much pain as they lowered the professor into the ground, and it felt weird knowing he'd never lecture me or hug me again. It was even odder to see all the other professors here dressed in all black. Those weren't even the weirdest thing. The weird thing was that Dunstan wasn't the only one there trying to soothe my sobs. Ronin was there too. He was looking like a tall, handsome but grim protector the way he was standing next to me. None of my pokémon seemed to care that he was so close; they even made room in the swarm of my pokémon friends for him.

I couldn't comprehend why comforting me was so important to this boy but I kept my promise of trying to be friends with him and let him wrap his arms around me when the pain of losing my father-figure was too much. This always earned him a sniff from a few of my pokémon.

It was so awkward for me and yet it was so natural for him. I was jealous at one point. Jealous that this came for easily for Ronin, the he could just walk up to someone and talk to them for hours. I couldn't do that. I'd freak out about them trying to hurt me or my pokémon.

By the end of the service, I was sure the mascara I'd worn was a very bad idea on Molly's part. She'd come into my room this morning to check if I was alright and proceeded to make me wear eyeliner and mascara. I was skeptical, but remember that I was trying to make friends now so I allowed the woman to help me. I didn't like how they made my eyes stand out even more.

"Zana, I want you to know that I'm here if you ever need anything." Professor Juniper stood in front of me and I was hoping she couldn't see the mascara stains on my face because of the veil I'd worn. I knew it was a useless thought. From the way people were looking at me, I could tell they saw the tracks on my face.

One by one, the others all lined up telling me the same thing. They were only a phone call away, they were here for me, and if I needed anything, just ask. I wanted to trust this, to trust their words but I couldn't exactly do that. I knew I should, they were the professors of our world. I certainly couldn't trust the many researchers that I barely knew. Actually, I only knew the names of a few of them.

People dispersed slowly after the service and after a while, only Dunstan, Ronin and I were still there. The pokémon were tired and I began to feel selfish by keeping them here so I stood from the stone bench. The walk back to the sanctuary was brief but it seemed like I was leaving the professor behind, leaving him alone.

I clenched my fists when I thought about who put Professor Rowan there. Ghetsis and Jupiter would pay. They had to. Flygon sensed my anger and wrapped her tail around my shoulders to calm me. It worked quickly; her warmth soothed me into a calm state again. The sanctuary felt cold though. The pokémon weren't playing or doing their normal routines at all. They were just sitting, looking probably similar to what I looked like.

I flinched away from Ronin without thinking and I instantly regretted it when he pulled his hand back with a pained look on his face. The regret I felt confused me. Just three days ago, I had wanted nothing more than for him to leave me alone. Now, I wanted to be close to him. Dunstan had affected me with his words. I didn't want to be alone in the world.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. We'd only talked, and I knew he tried to make me smile constantly. I couldn't smile, though. I didn't trust him even when I wanted to and the circumstances weren't right. In a way, I was apologizing for all of this. I was apologizing for flinching away, and for only smiling around the pokémon.

"It's okay. I understand." He said, making sure there was distance between us. Another painful reminder that I just couldn't make friends as easily as Dunstan thought I could.

"I'm trying." I said below a whisper, so nobody could hear. He glanced at me, and for a moment, I thought he had heard me.

We split up at the sanctuary and I went to my room to pack my bag and clean myself up. I was headed back to the college the next day. I was going to try to slip out before anyone woke up so I wouldn't have to say my goodbyes and because I didn't want Ronin to come. He didn't want school; he'd be bored to death there. My team was in my room, already snuggling in for the night. The rooms here were huge just for that reason. Every room was about two or three times bigger than they would be in another home, so that the larger pokémon could fit.

A knock on my door made my luxray perk up from the fluffy chair he had claimed years ago. He barely fit in it now, but still stayed there. A small smile found its way onto my face at the sight.

I opened the door slightly to see who was there. I tried to get the professor to install a peep-hole but it went against his get-Zana-to-trust plans.

Ronin stood patiently outside while I thought about letting him in. I decided to step outside with him so my pokémon weren't disturbed.

"I just wanted to tell you goodnight, and I'll see you at 7 a.m." He smiled a crooked grin.

"Well, goodnight." I said tersely, looking everywhere but him. I didn't understand why anyone would come just to say that. What was the use?

"See ya." He bowed his head playfully, but I just nodded and slipped back into my room. He was so weird. I decided he'd been checking to see if I was still here. There couldn't have been another reason to just show up.

So, I decided, we'd leave at 6. I looked at the clock. It was only 8, but I would have to wake up early. I set my alarm for 5:30 a.m. before I changed into flannel shorts and a tank top slowly, letting my body unwind. I slipped into my usual dreamless sleep quickly.

I woke with a start from the sound of the alarm and pushed it quickly. My pokémon stirred while I made my bed back up and I called all of them into their balls. There was no way any of them could keep quiet enough to get out of the building unnoticed. As I got dressed, I remembered that everyone knew where my college was. It would be easy to just come there when he figured I wasn't here anymore. I groaned in frustration and jerked my bluish purple jacket on over my black t-shirt.

I would still try, though. I didn't want a babysitter even if it was someone I was trying to be friends with. I highly doubted I would be able to trust him knowing he was sent to watch me. I successfully slinked out of the building, though it wasn't hard. I didn't usually make much noise. I saw no sign of Ronin around and I felt bad for a second.

He trusted me enough to believe I wouldn't leave without him. Trust was a huge thing, obviously. How could he be a successful trainer when he was so trusting?

I waited until I was out of town before calling out flygon to fly us to school. As we were zooming away at the speed that only a flygon could get to, I could have sworn I saw someone sitting on top of the large dome, though at those speeds, I couldn't be sure.

"Welcome back to school, Ms Rowan." The gate's guard slid my student card through a scanner and the wrought iron gates slowly slid into the brick, allowing me into the courtyard.

"Thank you." I whispered and briefly considered telling him not to let Ronin in but his next words stopped me.

"Where is your company? A Professor Dunstan Eventide called and said due to the loss of your father, which I'm deeply sorry for, you would have someone accompany you to school just in case something happened." He tipped his hat up slightly as he spoke.

"He may be here later." If he decided to come even after I gave him the slip. I felt bad for what I'd done again, but I decided I didn't care. I would call him and apologize later. Perhaps I could even still try to be friends. I didn't know.

"I'll keep a look out. His name?" He got out a clipboard from in the small gate office.

"Ronin Eventide." I considered giving him a fake name, but that just wasn't right.

"I'll show him to your townhouse." I nodded and thanked the security guard.

The sight of the row of private townhouses was a welcome sight. They were only available to juniors and seniors here and even they had to work extra for them. I found the privacy worth it. I released my pokémon from their balls as I stepped into the door and dropped my bag next to the door. On the floor in front of the mail slot was a pile of letters. Each one was a letter from my teachers and other people in my life, with their condolences written on their personal stationary. I read all 12 of them, 10 being my teachers and the other two were from the people I worked for at the school's library.

Along with their letters included packets of the transcripts of every lecture and homework assignment I had missed and I quickly immersed myself in the work, desperate to distract from myself until I either went to class, or the dreaded knock on the door came.

Unsurprisingly, I finished all my work in a few hours. I looked at my grandfather clock and decided it was a good time to eat breakfast. I made up food for my pokémon first, making sure they had enough, before even getting out the ingredients to my simple breakfast.

I wished I hadn't finished all my work so quickly. It's just, I studied a head a lot and I'd already known what I went over in my classes. My heart pounded wildly when three sharp raps came from the front door. My pokémon jumped up from wherever they happened to be at the moment.

I knew my private time had come to an end, but I also knew it had no chance of survival.

When I opened my door, a very disgruntled Ronin stood on my step. I sighed and stepped aside, allowing him in.

"I have an extra room for you. They're meant for a roommate but I didn't want one." I walked away, hoping to not see the pain of betrayal in his eyes.

"You left." He gritted out and tossed his bag on the chair.

"Yes." I didn't deny it or try to defend my reasoning. What was the use?

"I'm here to stay, you know. I've been told to keep you safe, and I will." The determination in his voice made me shiver. I didn't want him to waste his life protecting me.

"I don't need a protector, Ronin. I'm perfectly fine, if you hadn't noticed." I rested my arm around ninetails.

"Something could happen. Ever since the professor enrolled you in school, I have tried to be your friend. I yelled at my best friends for talking about you badly. So, in a way, I've already been protecting you."

"I didn't need you to protect me then and I don't now, but I'm trying to change my ways. I had a relapse, I guess." I tugged at my braid. "You can stay, but don't feel like you have to follow me to class."

I tried to smile at him, to get him to forgive me but he didn't smile back at my failed attempt. I knew I'd made a mistake, but I also knew I really didn't need Ronin here.


	4. Chapter 4 Useless

Chapter 4

Useless

That night, I couldn't sleep. I knew that Ronin was in the finished basement, which was a bonus to his pokémon, and that I was on the second floor but I still couldn't forget the scenario that'd he'd try to hurt me if I slept. On one hand, I felt bad for thinking that, but on the other, I remembered all the bad that humans had done. Like my brother, I could talk to pokémon but unlike him, I could read the feelings and thoughts of humans too. I knew the dark thoughts that forced themselves into my head.

I knew that Ronin was seething mad today. He didn't speak a word since his arrival, and I was okay with that. Talking wasn't my strong suit. The thing that annoyed me was, he ended up coming with me to my classes. He flashed his 'security' badge to the teachers and sat stiffly in the seat next to me. He didn't seem to pay attention, but I knew he watched me as I wrote notes quickly. I was fidgety all day though. His anger was like an army breaking down the gates of a castle. I couldn't keep it out. I could block it out for a mere five minutes but it slipped right back in. I could feel it more than my own feelings and I had a killer headache because of it.

I glanced back to my door and smiled weakly when I saw my breloom sitting by the door with luxray in front of it. They knew the source of my nerves and they were determined to ease them. I began having second thoughts of being friends with Ronin. I could be friends with just pokémon, I would be happy. Wouldn't I?

A noise downstairs made my eyes shoot open when they had finally began to drift close. The thought that he was coming for me set my heart rate off. I breathed in shallow breaths until a warm presence snuck its way onto the bed. I looked over and smiled at my calm ninetails. He lay down on his side, spreading his tails over me with the warmth only a fire pokémon could provide.

_You're fine, Zana. Nothing will happen. Just sleep. _The calm presence of ninetails' thoughts soothed me and lulled me into an easy sleep.

Footsteps on the stairs woke me up, and caused me to get up in a hurry. My pokémon were all still asleep, even ninetails though I had jarred him when I got up. I didn't want Ronin to wake them up by knocking. I slipped out the door right when he reached the top of the stairs. He froze and looked at me, up and down. I looked down with a foreign feeling. Was I blushing?

I had slipped out in just pajama shorts and a tank top. Was that what he was looking at?

"Good morning." He said curtly, nodding at me. "How are you?"

All the anger from yesterday seemed to be gone now. "I'm fine. How did you sleep?"

I had to bite my lip from snapping at him, asking him what he wanted.

"Just fine and you?"

I almost groaned from frustration. "Fine."

"I'm sorry about yesterday."

I stiffened. "You're apologizing?"

"Well, yes. I acted awful. I didn't speak to you all day." He shifted his weight from one leg to the other.

"It was justified, Ronin. I left you behind at the sanctuary. I don't blame you for being mad." I didn't understand why he was apologizing. He didn't do anything.

"I overreacted. I know you have social issues." He treaded carefully, though I didn't care. "I'm sorry."

"You're weird." I turned to go back in my room, but a warm hand on my shoulder made me freeze.

"Say you forgive me, please, Zana." He turned me around and looked at me with pleading eyes. He'd been beating himself up because of this.

"There is nothing to forgive." I looked up at him, meeting his gaze without flinching.

"Are you sure?" The lack of distance between us didn't affect him, but I began to feel it. I was uneasy but didn't show it.

"Yes." I spun away, and slipped into my room. I felt him pause outside before turning around and going downstairs again. I looked at the clock by my bed and was surprised to see I only had an hour before my first class. I rushed through a shower, getting dressed and I grabbed an apple from the kitchen before going upstairs to tell my pokémon I would be at class.

I groaned when I saw Ronin waiting by the front door. Why did he have to follow me to class?

He followed after me silently and sat next to me in all classes, always questioning why I sat in the front. I always shrugged and set to work. If there was a knock, or a loud noise, he seemed to get into a position to easily protect me. It annoyed me to no end. Couldn't he see I could protect myself? Even if I didn't have my pokémon with me, I could protect myself.

I went to the student union to get lunch, and was stopped by a boy I knew was in one of my classes.

"Why don't you sit with me today?" He tried to hard to be 'smooth', I thought.

"No." I walked around him with Ronin behind me.

"What, this guy is good enough to talk to, but not me, sweet thing?" The nameless boy stepped in front of me again.

"Don't call me that." I tried to shrug past him, but he grabbed my arm. His thoughts flooded me. He thought if he got close to me, he'd get in close with the current professor of Sinnoh. This time, he planned to use Rowan's death to his advantage.

His hand was gone in a flash and I looked up at his face to see it contorted in pain. I followed his arm, and found his wrist in a death grip. Ronin had pulled his hand away from me. I felt a strong sense of admiration bubble up in my chest.

"Don't touch her, numbskull." Ronin pushed the boy away and he stumbled onto the floor. I began walking again, quicker now, into the courtyard.

"Who was that?" Ronin asked, after the fact. I suppressed the urge to laugh.

"Just a kid who thinks I'm his pass to a good job." I shrugged and sat by a tree. "Thank you, by the way."

"It's what I'm here for." He smiled at me and nudged me with his shoulder.

"I could've taken care of it, though." I huffed. I could have.

"Sure you could, Zana." He laughed and I seemed to ease into a comfort zone.

It felt odd not to be on high alert while I ate, and even more weird to eat with someone. Here, I was always alone. We ate in a comfortable silence for a while until he asked if I had anymore classes today.

"No, not today." I shook my head and stood to dispose of my trash.

We walked back to my townhouse, and I scooped up the mail from the entryway's floor. Flygon was in the living room, watching fraxure and breloom mock fight. The sableye on the kitchen counter was creepy looking, but it didn't help that it was teasing Ronin's chandelure. I sat down on my couch, trying to ignore all the activity around me from the twelve pokémon. The first letter was just an ad for the department store, but the second was an official letter from the school.

I scanned it and rescanned it.

"What is it?" Ronin sat in the chair next to the couch with his krokorok beside him.

"I'm graduating a year early." I shrugged. I expected it, honestly. I actually started college two years before my age group. I was a junior, while the people my age were just starting college.

"How can you be so easy-going about this? It's huge." He stood again.

"I take 10 classes every year, Ronin. Meaning I took 30 so far. Most people would have taken 15, maximum by now. I've doubled it." I shook my head and looked at the next envelope.

"We should celebrate." I looked up at him incredulously.

"Why?"

"Do you even have to ask?"

"If you really want to celebrate, go on and do it by yourself." I stood, setting the mail on the coffee table and looked at the calendar. Senior graduation was only a week away, so my turn to get revenge was approaching sooner than I had expected.

"Oh, come on, Zana! Let's go have dinner. We can fly to another city, and have fun." He leaned on the wall next to me.

"I have homework, Ronin." I turned to get my homework from my bag.

"Honestly? You can finish that in less than an hour. Besides, you already know you're graduating at the top of your class." He had a point, but I didn't really want to go out to celebrate.

"I wouldn't have anything to wear." I tried that as an excuse.

"Whatever. You have a whole closet of things you don't wear." I turned to him with an eyebrow arched.

"How did you know?"

"I went into your room while you were unpacking." He said in a duh voice.

"Oh. They were all gifts from the professor. They were another attempt to socialize me." I shrugged. My excuses were being shot down.

"We should really celebrate this, Zana. It's an honor almost nobody gets." He looked over my shoulder as I wrote a short essay.

"I get it all the time. I'm two years ahead of people, Ronin." I looked pointedly at him. "I only had 4 years of high school, not the six everyone else had to endure for a reason."

"And we should go out and do something for it." He paused, touching my nose with a grin. I just looked at him like he had grown a second head. "I'll go get dressed."

"Ronin! I don't want-" I was interrupted by the closing of the basement door.

I looked up at the clock, and when I looked back at my homework I nearly screamed. Ronin's sableye had lied down on top of my books and his large, jewel-like eyes were staring up at me. He seemed to laugh when I fell out of my chair. He jumped up and fled the scene with his laugh lingering. Luxray slid into the room, sniffing at me.

"Oh, now you come." I groaned.

_Are you okay?_ Luxray's strong mental voice seemed humored by my position.

"I'm fine." I growled, setting my chair back up and finished the remainder of my homework.

My pokémon followed me up to my room and watched as I studied my closet. I finally settled on a blue dress that fit like a glove. It was a dark blue, and went down to mid-thigh. It was a one-shoulder type dress, with no extraordinary design. Just basic dark blue and I liked it. I matched it with black knee-high boots and a few black bracelets. I never had the heart to get rid of anything the professor gave me, even if I knew I'd never touch them. I brushed out my hair from its braid and sat on my bed.

_Why are you so nervous? _Ninetails set his head on my shoulder. _You look gorgeous. _

"Thank you. I'm just not used to any of this. You know, dressing up and going out." I looked at my feet.

_Relax; we're going with you if you need us. _I smiled and nodded. Fraxure had gotten my bag from the dresser for me, and I called them all into their balls, except for flygon who would be flying me.

I stepped down the stairs hesitantly, worried about Ronin's reaction. I wondered briefly if I should go back and change, and possibly lock my door. By time I decided that's what I would do, Ronin had already seen me. He stood slowly with a weird look on his face.

"Is this too much?" I furrowed my brow and looked down at myself.

"No!" He rushed, "It's perfect."

I looked up at him. He was wearing dark jeans with a black button up shirt, and his hair was combed. He seemed perfect.

"Where are we going?" I followed him outside slowly, wishing I had just run back upstairs anyways. My flygon, however, nudged me along.

"I thought we'd go to Veilstone City to eat and then a surprise." He prepared his mandibuzz to fly.

"A surprise?" I stared at him. "I don't like surprises."

He looked unsure but spoke anyways. "Hopefully you'll like this surprise."

I climbed on flygon and we lifted off the ground. I could tell she was trying hard not to go full speed and keep pace with Ronin. I studied him while we flew, and watched how he closed his eyes and how the wind blew his hair from his face gently. I didn't like how it made me feel at all. It was an uneasy feeling.

When we landed in the rocky city, I called flygon into her pokéball and stood close to Ronin. The bustling city wasn't like Hearthome City, though it had been more populated than this. I followed closely behind Ronin into a low lit restaurant that looked like it cost a fortune just to look at. I glanced at other women and was relieved to see that I wasn't overdressed.

We sat down at a clothed table and were handed menus. I noticed that the waiter had an accent I recognized as one from Unova. An accent I had when I first came here, but quickly lost. I ducked my head so he wouldn't see my eyes. I didn't want him to make any connection.

"This is useless, Ronin. Why did you want to do this?" I looked at him though I didn't lift my head.

"You deserve to get out every once in a while. When was the last time you had fun?" He set his menu down.

"Yesterday, with my pokémon." I quietly ordered lemonade when the waiter came for our drink orders.

"When was the last time you had fun with a human?" He ordered a soda.

I looked away, out the window. "A month ago, with the professor and your father."

"And what were you doing?"

I hesitated, and then sighed. "Playing with the pokémon in the sanctuary."

"Well, this is a pokémon-free night." He rested his hands on the table, and I was surprised to note that I was observing him.

"Pokémon are my life though." I was confused. Why couldn't I just be happy with pokémon?

"You should just get a break every now and then, that's what I mean."

We ordered our food, and the rest of the meal passed mainly silent. He would comment on something and I briefly answered. How was this fun? I could be at home with my pokémon eating.

"Come on, time for the surprise." He pulled me up after paying and led me down a cobble road.

"Where are we going, Ronin?" I was slightly worried. Was he going to hurt me?

"You'll see." He was excited, it was easy to tell. The farther we got, the louder music played. Finally, he knocked on a door.

A huge man stepped outside, and I heard pounding music inside. He was taking me to a club? I looked at Ronin worriedly while he got us in.

"I don't want to be here, Ronin. There are too many people." I looked around, suddenly scared. You could barely move in here without bumping into someone.

"I just want to see you let go for a while, Zana. You're so stressed all the time. Dancing can let all that tension go." I hadn't marked Ronin as a dancer, or a fan of this type of music. I liked slower music better, anyways.

"I don't know. I don't dance." I looked up at him again and was marveled by the effect of all the different colored lights on his face.

He took my hand and pulled me onto the floor. He mouthed try, and shouted to me.

"Just follow the beat of the music." I glanced up at the stage, and was somewhat pleased to see ludicolo dancing on the stage next to the deejay. Then, I looked back to Ronin who was swaying to the beat. I really didn't want to be here, but I didn't want to let Ronin down. What would the professor think?

I jumped when Ronin began to guide me into dancing. I was still so unsure, I barely responded. Slowly though, the beat began to work its way through my body and I began swaying my hips side to side. Ronin seemed overjoyed that I was finally getting into it. The beat seemed to match my heartbeat now, or my heartbeat changed to match the music. I didn't know which.

Another reason I was so nervous, was I was so close to Ronin while dancing. The floor was crowded, and if I backed up, I'd get taken by the swarm.

"You're doing great." Ronin said, just loud enough for me to hear when he saw my uneasiness.

"I suppose." I was already swaying to the music, so I decided I might as well just stay to make him happy. My bag was hitting my hip every time I moved, but it comforted me. It reminded me that my pokémon were still here for me.

After a while, Ronin took my hand and pulled me off to the side for a drink. He ordered us a couple of juices since we were both too young for alcohol, not that I was interested in it at all.

"Are you having fun?" We sat on stools by the bar.

"Surprisingly, yeah." I nodded and sipped my drink.

"You're not smiling, though." His own smile slipped.

"I don't smile much." I tugged at a piece of my hair.

"I'm going to make you smile tonight." His set tone made it clear he was determined.

"Good luck." I drank the rest of the drink, and he gulped his quickly to guide me back to the floor.

This time, he was much more into making me dance. Ronin didn't let go of my hand so he could easily make sure I was still into it. He spun me around and a laugh slipped out of my mouth. His eyes widened and his face broke out into a grin. Once it was out, I couldn't keep a smile off my face.

When we were leaving, he whispered mockingly, "I told you I would get you to smile."


	5. Chapter 5 Apologies

Chapter 5

Apologies

He pulled me into the dark streets, making jokes and making me laugh. It was so unusual, and I was nervous about it. Now that he'd gotten me to smile and laugh, what would he try?

A shadowed figure on the side of a building made me freeze in my step. It was a tall man with bushy green ponytail, but he wore a hoodie and jeans.

"Hey, Ronin, I'll be right back." I pulled away from him and walked up to the figure. "N?"

He looked at me with concerned eyes. "Hey, Zana."

"Where have you been?" I hesitated, not sure if I could trust my own brother.

"Here and there. You seem to be close to this man." He looked behind me at Ronin. "You trust him?"

"I don't know if I can. I trusted one man and he was killed." I furrowed my brow and tugged at my hair.

"I'm sorry about the professor, but are you sure you can trust? Even Father…" I knew than that even my trusting brother had been destroyed so much he no longer trusted. Everything he had gone through flashed on his face. A decade of pain, loneliness and torture showed itself.

"No. I'm not sure. It's too much of a risk to take on just anyone." I glanced back at Ronin, who was standing still; he was ready to come to my side.

"I've got to go, Zana. I'm sorry for leaving you." He ducked behind the building, and was gone. He'd grown up so much, and I worried about him.

"Who was that?" Ronin stepped up next to me.

"No one." I murmured and regretted coming out tonight. I couldn't be friends with Ronin, barely even Dunstan. N had trusted and look where it got him. He was constantly on the move, and seemed so different. He wasn't himself anymore.

"Are you okay? Want me to go after him, because I will." Ronin picked up on the confusion and grief going through my mind.

"No, I just want to go home." I turned away and called flygon out. I didn't wait for him to get mandibuzz, instead just climbing onto my pokémon. I rested my head on her back as she flew at top speed over Sinnoh.

Ronin would probably be mad I took off like that, but I didn't care at the moment. I had gotten too close, too smiley. I let go the rest of my pokémon when I got upstairs and unzipped my boots. I heard Ronin call my name when he finally got there but ignored it. I ignored the knock on my bedroom door too, feigning sleep.

I felt bad about it in the morning, but I needed to distance myself. If I trusted him, I'd end up like N. Especially after he found out I planned to slip away to the last place I saw Ghetsis.

I woke up early and left a note on the counter about going to the library to start work until my first class, and not to follow.

Of course, who should walk in the door the first hour I'm at work?

"What did the guy say to you last night?" He placed his hands on the counter, and I felt nervous with him looming over me.

"What makes you think he said anything worth repeating?" It wasn't exactly what he said; it was the pain that I saw.

"Well, we were having fun and everything last night. Then, as soon as you talk to this random guy, you shut down and leave." He just stood there, looking down at me while I checked books back in.

"I was tired." I shrugged.

"It was more than that, Zana."

"I don't think it's any of your business." I snapped, but instantly felt bad. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it." He waved his hand at me.

"I have to talk to my boss, stay here." I had spotted my boss, Kya, emerging from her office.

"Zana, do you need something?" The kind older lady stopped when she saw me approaching.

"Do you know I'm graduating with the seniors this year?" I didn't bother beating around the bush; I didn't see the point of it.

"Yes, I was just preparing to look for a replacement for next year. It's going to be hard to find someone." She pursed her lips. "This is your last day, since you've got finals today and tomorrow."

I recalled the letter saying that my teachers would present me with finals so I could graduate without a hitch.

"It was nice working here." I turned and returned to my work, finishing everything quickly so I could get to class. People seemed to steer clear of Ronin and me since the incident in student union.

I didn't mind at all, and actually preferred it. Ronin kept close, especially when we were in the crowded building for lunch. I'd finished my first five finals, and was ready for a break. I had gone around to different teachers taking my finals instead of following a schedule so that I could get to my trip quicker. They could mail my diploma to me.

The boy from yesterday made it obvious he didn't want to be near me and left the union as soon as we came in. Again, I didn't really care.

"Are you going to speak?" Ronin finally got tired of my silence when we sat on some steps outside.

"What do you want to talk about?" I bit into the sandwich but didn't look at him.

"I'll talk about anything. I just want to see that smiling girl from last night." He hadn't gotten a lunch and it concerned me but I didn't bring it up.

"Well, that wasn't me."

"I think it was, but you hide her. What do you think?"

"I think that the boy who tried to bring her out should stick with what he's got." I commented, my words dripping with sarcasm.

"Fine, I'm sorry. I just wanted to help you come out of your shell. The year I saw you in school, you were quiet and alone. When we went to Kanto, you barely spoke to me and always wandered away." Again, he brought up my personality. I didn't want to hear anymore.

I got up and threw my lunch away, heading to my next classes. I heard Ronin curse and follow after me.

"What did I say this time?" I ignored his comment and stepped into the building that contained my last 5 classes, turning in homework and completing finals in my anger. Technically, now I had finished school and could leave. I just had to figure out a way to get by Ronin.

"Zana, say something. You said you wanted to be friends, and friends talk." He patted the spot beside him on the couch while I was setting the bags of my things by the door.

"You're right." I sat down by him, thinking about the promise I had made. "I'm sorry."

He turned on the TV and I snuggled into the cushions on the opposite side of the couch. This could be the last time I saw him, if everything went bad. Even as we talked, and I eased into comfort, I was planning on my escape to Unova.

"Really?" I laughed at one of Ronin's stories about his journey in Johto.

He smiled oddly at me, with a crooked grin. I froze, not sure what that smile meant. It made me feel warm inside, and guilty about my plan.

"You're amazing, you know that? Who else could finish ten finals in one day, graduate years before people your age should, and still find time to try to open up?" His smiled grew, and the one eye I could see shone with another unknown emotion.

I looked out the window, unable to be under that gaze anymore.

"It's almost evening, I'm going to turn in my keys and we can get going to the sanctuary." I stood up and grabbed the things on the table anxiously.

"Tonight?" He stood too, with confusion on his face.

"What's the use of staying when I don't go here anymore?" I knew I wouldn't be able to go through with this if I waited until tomorrow. The warmth I had felt earlier had convinced me of that.

I jogged to the security office and handed my keys and papers over with my signature and jogged back to where Ronin was waiting. I set the bags in the gate's security for them to ship to the sanctuary.

"Let's go." I said curtly and jumped onto flygon's back.

At first, I was keeping pace with Ronin, and we acted as if we were actually going back. I eyed mandibuzz to wait for the moment Ronin's weight began to wear it down.

The moment I saw it droop, I took of in the opposite direction of Unova at flygon's top speed. Only another flygon would have been able to follow us, and I choked on a sob when I heard Ronin's fading voice call after me. He wouldn't know what I was planning, I hadn't left a note and I hadn't started off in the direction I intended to turn the moment we reached the shore. I knew, if I ever came back I would have too much apologizing to do, and I doubted that it would do any good.


	6. Chapter 6 A New Journey

**_Hey, this chapter is a little short since I'm kind of tired, but please still enjoy it. :D_**

* * *

><p>Chapter 6<p>

Darkest Day

I touched down in the very small city of Nuvema town. I didn't know what to do first, but I knew I couldn't go straight to Ghetsis without harsh punishment on my pokémon. I wasn't stupid. I had to find something about his whereabouts. I thought about why I hadn't stayed in Sinnoh longer, stayed with Ronin, to hunt down Jupiter but my gut told me that they were both here.

A brown haired woman sat up in her chair when I landed, but looked disappointed when she saw only me. I furrowed my brow, was she looking for someone? She and I were on the same boat, I thought. I walked up to her with a new found courage.

"Hello, would there happen to be an inn here?" I looked at the few houses and already knew I'd have to go to the next town.

"No, but you can stay here. It'd be a welcome change." Her face lit up, an emotion that looked like it hadn't been present in a while.

"That's kind of you but-" The woman cut me off.

"No, really. I have a spare room and it just feels empty without someone in the house." She stood and held out her hand. "I'm Jackie."

"I'm Zana." I looked around. This woman was awfully pushy. My flygon inspected her, even she was nervous.

"I'm sorry for being so forceful. My son and daughter went off on their journey years ago. They haven't really come back much." She averted her eyes.

"Its fine, we'll take your offer." I nodded. I was suddenly too tired to walk to the next city, and I'd feel bad for making Flygon fly me there. "Say, where's the local professor?"

"Why, she just got back from a trip to the Sinnoh region. Professor Juniper should be home, if you'd like to visit her first." She pointed to the lab that I had forgotten was in this town. Why would I be so stupid as to come to the town with maybe the only person in Unova who knew me in it?

"No, it's fine. I'm tired." I followed her inside after calling flygon into her pokéball. I was looking around to make sure I knew right where the exits were. This was very uncharacteristic of me, and I was nervous. I didn't know Jackie, and I didn't know if she actually knew who I was. I could be in trouble. Maybe I should have risked the walk to the next town.

I saw a picture of two small children on the wall and looked back to the woman. Her children were the ones that made Ghetsis's life plan fail, made his empire fall and sent my brother fleeing.

"Do you recognize them?" Jackie came up beside me beaming with pride. "They took down the entire system of the crime syndicates, Team Plasma! All by their selves. My daughter is now looking for the poor boy that was manipulated by that evil man. I'm surprised he didn't end up like his father. Any other kids he might have are probably just as bad as him."

I looked down, worried that she was right. I never thought that I might be evil, but wasn't revenge a bad thing?

A fire burned through my soul. No, revenge is exactly what has to happen here.

Besides, she had no way of knowing that I was his child. Ghetsis kept me hidden from the world. The grunts barely even knew I existed. I think the only people that did had been the sages. They'd all been sworn to secrecy.

"Are you okay?" Jackie pulled me from my thoughts.

"I'm fine." I nodded, and asked where the room was. She promptly led me to the spare room I would occupy and promised me a warm breakfast when I woke up.

I was nervous to close my eyes, seeing as the next day would be the first official day of being in Unova again. I called out my ninetails, and asked for his comfort.

For the first time in nearly 12 years, I dreamt.

Ronin was sitting on the steps to the sanctuary, but he was a child. The way he had looked on our trip to Kanto. He looked at me with big, dark blue eyes and smiled. Slowly, in front of me, he grew up into the man I had met again when I'd gone home on my birthday.

_My birthday._ I cringed. The professor had died the day after my birthday.

When I thought about the professor, the world went completely black. I saw Ronin in front of me, and something told me to run. I had to hide from him. He was a human. Humans had taken childhood innocence from me, they had taken my ability to trust and they had taken the man who tried his hardest to turn all of that around.

I ran at my hardest, with tears streaming down his face. Off to the side, I saw my brother on a curb hugging his knees and crying in the rain. I saw Jupiter watching over people doing cruel things to pokémon. I saw Ghetsis tear an eevee from a small child and laugh at her pleas.

Then, I was in a pokémon stadium surrounded by people. They were shouting evil things at me, calling me names and discouraging me. On the other side where my opponent would've stood, was Ronin. He ignored the comments people were throwing at me and held his arms open.

I just stood there and stared. He was in the clothes I'd seen him wear when he was on journeys, a black jacket over a red a shirt and dark, worn jeans. He looked like he would be hell to mess with, but the look on his face and his gestures wiped away that thought. Again, I ran. This time, I didn't run from him, I ran to him.

I jumped into his arms and wrapped my arms around his neck tightly while his strong arms held me off the ground. As soon as we touched, the stadium disappeared. Instead, we were in the middle of the sanctuary. The pokémon were crowding around us, looking at me. Like they knew I was supposed to be doing something else, not being here with them.

I woke up with a headache, but it didn't bother me. Headaches were something I had often because of the abnormality I was born with. I couldn't comprehend much of what my dream had meant, or why I had one after all these years. I wanted to scream out loud when I couldn't get the image of Ronin holding his arms open for me. That part of the dream told me I completely relied on him for comfort and sanity. It was completely opposite. I didn't want to need anyone.

Breakfast was great; I rarely got home cooked meals. Since the sanctuary and school both had cafeterias, I just ate there. It was simpler. The pictures on the wall reminded me I had to change into the clothes I had brought that were more suited for this journey of mine. I brought three changes of clothes, not including the simple sundress and flats I had on at the moment. I was fortunate my messenger bag was big enough. I still yearned to be with the rest of my pokémon though. I would miss them now that I couldn't visit them whenever.

Maybe I hadn't thought this through all the way. Perhaps I could stop somewhere for clothes.

Jackie caught me staring at a picture, though I wasn't really seeing it. I was seeing Ronin at the sanctuary receiving my things from the delivery service, and sorrowfully moving them somewhere. I knew it was all just my imagination-there was no way they could be there that fast-but it still hurt.

"Are you okay?" She sat across me with a look I'd only seen on the professor, though it was a little different. I studied the look for a moment, filing it away in a place in my mind. If I had had a normal childhood, would I have seen this look from my mother?

"I'm fine. I'm going to go change real quick." I tried to show her a soft smile but knew it didn't work when the look only grew deeper.

"You're welcome here anytime." Jackie said as I exited her house half an hour later. I waved, relieved to be out of the company of someone I didn't know well, even if she was kind hearted.

I called out my flygon to walk next to me as we walked towards the next city, forgetting that we probably shouldn't have walked so blatantly passed Professor Juniper's lab.


	7. Chapter 7 Ronin's Perspective

Chapter 7

Ronin's Perspective

I cursed into the wind when I lost sight of the girl I'd sworn I would protect all those years ago. Professor Rowan told me to watch her when we were 14 and in Kanto, but I took it to heart. I would always try and be there for Zana, but I couldn't if she kept giving me the slip.

"Zana ran off." I couldn't look at my father. "Flygon was too fast for me to follow."

"She what?" My dad looked up from the book he was reading.

"She left, flew off with her pokémon. I tried to chase after her, but I couldn't. I don't know what was going through her mind. One moment she was laughing and smiling-"

"You got her to laugh?" His eyes widened a bit and he stood to walk to the computer.

"Yeah, why?" Why was he surprised, didn't he and the professor ever get her to laugh?

"Well, only pokémon really got her to do that. She trusted us and smiled, but didn't really laugh. I worry about what happened to her before she came to live with us. Something really messed her up." I didn't like how he talked about her, saying she was messed up. Zana wasn't messed up, just a little broken.

"Oh. Do you have any ideas where she could've gone? I'll go after her." I stood still, noticing for the first time that I was the same height as my dad, if not taller.

"Not really. The professor didn't tell me anything about before she came here, so I don't really know what would mean something to her." He slumped in sorrow when he brought up his mentor.

"So we just have to wait for her to come back? She could get hurt!" I pictured in my head Zana crouching on the ground with cuts on her body with tears running down her face from those odd red eyes. The sight scared me, and pure rage filled my being. If it were what happened, I would make sure the person who did it would pay.

"I'll ask the professors to look out for her, but I don't know what else to do. Zana is very intelligent, if you hadn't already learned that." He knew I did know that, I had called him yesterday to tell him we would be back as soon as Zana finished her finals, since she didn't seem to like ceremonies.

"We could try to call her." I sat down in my dad's winged back chair and ran an unsteady hand through my hair.

"You think she would keep her phone? If she wanted to get away, and not be found, she could most likely do it. The only way we'll find her is if she wants to be found, whether she knows it or not." I wanted to scream. There had to be a freaking way to find her. I curtly said I was going to bed and stormed from the room.

Why would she leave like that? I get that she's mourning her father, but couldn't she do it here? And to leave with no warning like that, something she's good at, made me think that maybe she was up to something. She would always slip away, even when we were younger.

I remembered how she always ran off into the forest or somewhere else to look at something while I was in the middle of talking to her. I thought it was so cute, even when she got mad at me for following her. I told her I would always follow her, just so I could make sure she was okay. All she did was cross her arms and glare at the ground.

I wished I had done what the professor had asked me to do besides watch her. He had wanted me to befriend her, even though I already was trying. It was six years ago and I had only just now got her to open up.

I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow and was thrown into dreams.

The first one was a memory. We were in Kanto, and I was battling a trainer there. It'd been about half an hour and I finally beat the boy. I grinned with pride and looked over to Zana to see if I had impressed her. My grin slid into a simple smile when I saw her on the bench swinging her legs back and forth, talking to her vibrava and her new vulpix. The way she interacted with them was like a play. She was so animated and into talking to them, her face showed every emotion that went through her mind. It was like she was actually talking straight to them, like she could understand them.

Zana peeked up at me through her eyelashes and blushed, and then automatically shut down. Her face went blank again, but in my mind I still saw her blushing or interacting with the pokémon. After the trainer left to the pokémon center, I still stood there looking at her. She had her light purple bangs cut so they covered part of her face, much like she did today and hid behind them often and the rest her hair was braided down her back. Her red eyes should've scared me or freaked me out like the other kids at our school had been, but I saw them as just gentle eyes. I liked them.

She snapped at me to stop looking at her that way and got up to leave. I followed her silently and the dream began to morph.

Now, I was in a forest and I heard the sweet sound of Zana's laughter. The origin of it kept moving though and I couldn't pinpoint where she was until bloodcurdling scream pierced the silence of the tranquil wood. I took off in the direction of the scream, my heart pounding faster and faster. I began seeing trails of broken tree limbs and I finally got to a place where whole trees were knocked over.

"Zana?" I called out without realizing it. I felt the strong need to find her, to make sure she was okay.

I heard a whimper from the right of me and spun to find her. I got on my hands and knees to look under the fallen trees, praying I wouldn't find her crushed. My prayers weren't answered.

I found her crumpled body under the largest tree and her red eyes were staring lifelessly at me. I hadn't gotten to her in time, and I hadn't been able to push her out of the way. There was a large empty section next to the tree where I knew in my heart she should be laying, safe and alive.

Tears fell from my eyes and I pulled her broken form from under the tree to hold her close to me. As her body gasped, I sat up from my sleep.

I groaned, and wished I knew where Zana was. I needed to know that she was safe. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and changed into jeans and a t-shirt.

My sableye crouched on the dresser and cocked his head.

"Where could she be?" I sighed, but he only shook his head. I hit a wall, leaving a dent and left the room. Maybe we'd get a sign today telling me where to go.

"Any word?" I walked into my dad's lab, but he just shook his head. He didn't look up from whatever he was writing.

"I was looking through the professor's things though, and found her birth certificate." Something flickered in his eyes. "She lived in Unova before this."

"So she might be in Unova?" I pulled a chair over to the desk my dad was at.

"It's a start. I have no clue where in Unova, though so I don't advise you going yet. Maybe Professor Juniper will see her."

"I can't believe I lost her." I groaned and leaned backwards. I didn't have a clue what Zana was doing. I didn't even know if she had found a place to sleep last night.

"Relax, Ronin. Zana is a stubborn girl and will do what she believes she needs to do. Something probably crossed her mind and she decided it was top priority. She'll be back when whatever she's doing is done." I could tell by his tone that he wasn't sure of what he was saying.

"So, why didn't she live here in Sinnoh with her dad this whole time?" Maybe if I figured her childhood out, I'd know what she was doing.

"That isn't my place to say, Ronin. She has to tell you." Was it something bad? I looked down at the floor. She had to be so difficult, she wasn't even here and Zana was frustrating me.

"What can you tell me that might help me find her?" I growled.

"I already told you. She lived in Unova." He looked at me pointedly.

"What if it were mom running off randomly? You would try to find out everything you could to find her." I pointed out, but regretted it when he raised his brows.

"Are you comparing her to your mother?" He tried to bite back a smile. "I'd do everything for her because I love her, but then again, Molly isn't like Zana. She doesn't run off. Are you going after Zana because you love her?"

"No, Dad. I promised the professor I would watch her." I looked right back at my dad, not standing down. Once he got an idea in his head, it was hard to shake it from his mind.

"Okay, okay." I could see it in his eyes that he didn't believe me. I rolled my eyes. "Why don't you go check my emails? One of the professors might have emailed back."

I nodded and walked over to the computer, rolling the mouse to wake the computer up. The emails were already up, and I clicked on the one from Professor Juniper. The words hit me like a breeze.

As I ran out the door, I swear I thought my dad was smiling.


	8. Chapter 8 Memories

**_This is back to Zana's perspecitve! Enjoy ;D_**

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><p>Chapter 8<p>

Memories

I loved being back in Unova, even if it held bad memories. I had never been to many of these cities, so it was all new. The professor never brought me to this particular region for a reason and I had been glad.

A question slithered its way into my mind. Why had Ghetsis and Jupiter left after poisoning the professor? If they were after me, why didn't they take me as soon as I got there?

Maybe they were drawing me in. This had to be a trap, but I found that I didn't care. They couldn't get away with what they had done! I clenched my gloved hand and felt my nails dig into the fingerless glove.

"Hey, want to battle?" A boy's voice called out from beside a tree. I stopped to think for a second before nodded and stepped back. I told flygon to stand back, too, and told her she wasn't going to be used in this battle.

"Go, snivy!" A small, green pokémon appeared in front of me while I threw ninetails' ball onto the field. I didn't need to speak, only think.

"Wow." The boy looked at my pokémon with an awe that told me he'd never seen a ninetails in person. "Snivy, leaf blade!"

"Dodge it, ninetails! Use flame charge!" I called out the requests for the boy's sake even if I could just think it to them. My pokémon sat where he had landed with his tails spread around him. He could easily be mistaken for a king the way he sat as the pillar of fire spread towards snivy.

"I'm sorry, snivy." I whispered as the poor thing fainted. He called out a leavanny now, and I knew this was his last pokémon. I felt bad for doing this, but I had ninetails use fire spin and watched in awe as the spiral of fire emerged from my pokémon. It reminded me of the first time I battled with vulpix, before he had evolved.

"I'm very sorry for causing your pokémon to faint." I smiled at the boy and refused his money. He looked at me funny before running off to the pokémon center.

I turned to go back to my journey, leaving ninetails out to walk with flygon and me.

"What do you guys think? Should I go back, for Ronin?" I'd been feeling terribly guilty lately about running off like that but I hadn't yet decided what to do to ease it. I'd been gone a week, and had no sign that he knew where I was.

_No, you're too far into this. If you go back now, you won't be able to return. _Ninetails brushed one of his tails on my arm, making it tickle.

_Ronin is most likely already here in Unova, trying to find you. He seemed too protective not to be trying. _

"You both have a point." I sighed as we entered Castelia City. Finally, we could check into a hotel or hostel to sleep. Laundry wouldn't hurt, either.

I called both of them into their balls and found the closest hotel. I checked in and got a key, and walked towards the room I'd been assigned. I yawned when I entered and let my pokémon out before falling onto the bed, going to sleep instantly.

I woke up to the sun beaming through the curtains, and I stretched. Another day of trying to find clues of Ghetsis' whereabouts, I thought. I had only found out that Jupiter had been spotted in several cities. I shook my head when I thought of how I would confront her if I saw her. Maybe she wouldn't recognize her own daughter.

I laughed at the thought. What mother doesn't recognize their daughter? I knew I would recognize my daughter no matter what, even if she'd been gone longer than a decade. If I ever had a daughter, that is.

My pokémon were still asleep when I called the main desk to ask about washing clothes. The lady said that they would do it for a small fee. I agreed grudgingly and took my bag to the lobby, locking the door behind me.

I handed over the dirty clothes and watched the woman set them in their own individual bag and marked my name on them. She explained that I should come back in a few hours for them. I thanked her and turned around.

There, just outside the doors was a person I had hoped would stay put in Sinnoh. Ronin turned and looked right at me, a small smile appearing on his face before I sprinted down the hall to me room, unlocking it and slipping inside quickly.

_What's going on? _Luxray took in my shallow breathing and took a defensive stance.

"Ronin found me." I bit back a curse. Flygon had been absolutely right. As guilty as I had felt for leaving him, I didn't want him here to face the danger with me! I wouldn't let him drag me back, either.

_Want me to show him a _spark _of inspiration? _Luxray retorted and I chuckled.

"That was a really bad joke." I still laughed quietly nonetheless.

He shrugged and sat next to the door, ready to defend me. He knew Ronin was no danger, but I didn't want him here so he would do what he could to keep him out.

"Zana, open this door. I saw you go in there!" Ronin sounded angry, so angry.

I sat on the bed and pulled my knees up to my chest. Maybe he would just go away. I snorted at the thought.

_Just let him in. _Breloom usually kept quiet, same with fraxure, but now he was standing at the end of the bed looking at me like I was a child.

"I left him in another region! He's mad." I hissed, trying to keep quiet. I wished I could talk to them the same way I could get them to come out or use moves without speaking.

_Zana, you'll have to deal with it sooner or later. Just let him in._ He looked to the door, then back to me.

"Fine." I mumbled like the child he was making me feel like. I ran to the door, unlocked it and zoomed back to the bed, hiding in the corner where the wall is. I ducked my head behind my knees, folding myself into a human ball. It strained my neck but I was hoping futilely that he wouldn't see me.

"Zana, what _are _you doing?" Ronin closed the door behind him and I felt an indent form on the bed when he leaned on it.

I peeked up at him, and what I saw wasn't anger. I saw a flash of relief, and then that stupid smile he had in Kanto when we were kids, when he caught me talking to my pokémon, and then again the other day.

I summoned the courage to lift my head all the way and regretted it. As soon as I had uncurled myself, anger flashed in his eyes again. I could feel it, just as I had when he showed up at the college.

"Don't be mad." I whispered, wanting him to calm down so I could get rid of the headache his anger was causing me. It was forcing itself into my mind, and I couldn't block it out.

"Why shouldn't I be, Zana? You left, again, and left me in the middle of the air of Sinnoh looking for you!" He yelled, making me cower in the corner.

In my mind's eye, I saw Ghetsis yelling and swearing at me because N had been such a failure. He kept telling me if I ever screwed up like my brother, he'd make sure I wouldn't live long enough to see the consequences. Even as a 10 year old, I thought that that didn't make sense. Wouldn't killing me be my consequence?

I relived the sting on my cheek from his hard slap, and relived the moment my back bounced off the floor. I was fortunate that it wasn't my head.

I noticed Ronin was still ranting about me leaving and I pushed myself as far as I could into the corner, even though I was as far as I could go.

Luxray tackled Ronin to the floor and let a small shock go through him. I gasped and crawled to the edge of the bed, trying to see he was alright. I didn't chastise luxray; he'd only been protecting me. I was trembling in the corner, what was he supposed to do? Let me continue being scared?

Ronin sat up slowly and ran a hand trough his hair when luxray finally released him.

"He was protecting me." I defended my pokémon even though Ronin wasn't even seeking retribution.

"I know. I got carried away. I was about to stop, I saw how scared you were." He approached me slowly, wrapping his arms around my shoulder. I didn't relax, but he didn't let go. "Why were you so terrified, Zana? I would never hurt you."

"I don't know." I tried to shove away from him but he held tighter.

"Tell me. It's obviously something you need to tell someone, if it's still haunting you." I wanted to tell Ronin everything, and flygon was urging me to, but what gives him a reason not to run as soon as he found out my heritage?

"No, its need to know." I struggled in his arms, considering biting him even.

"Don't you think I need to know if I'm going to be here helping you finish what you came for?" I froze.

"What? You're not forcing me to go back to Sinnoh?" I turned my head towards him, to look for any sign of lying. I even felt his sincerity, even though it made my head pulse.

"No, I figure you'll need help." He loosened his hold a bit and I took it upon myself to finish the job and break free from his grip.

"I don't need help! I know these people, you don't." I covered my mouth as soon as I said it. How could I do that?

"What people?" He stood up, alarmed. "Who's bothering you?"

_Zana, tell him. _Now. _Tell him. _

"My parents! Okay?"

"Your parents? But your father is-"

"Ghetsis Harmonia. My mother is Jupiter, from team galactic. She figured, hey, there's another potential world ruler. Maybe I should seal the deal and earn me a spot there in case ol' team galactic doesn't work out. My father kind of figured the same thing. Another child, another chance." I fell onto the bed again. I hated this.

"I lived with him here in Unova. He had me privately tutored while he personally took care of N, my brother. That was the man I saw the other night. _They_ killed the only real father I ever had!" I screeched at the end and punched a pillow.

"They killed Professor Rowan?" I nodded. "And you're here to…" He trailed off.

"Get revenge." I finished for him. "They're awful people. Ghetsis completely destroyed my trust. He would punish me for N's mistakes because he was the hero, and I wasn't. Because he couldn't get my to use my abilities for him," I paused, holding my hand up when Ronin opened his mouth, "he brought me to Sinnoh to see Jupiter, but he saw a news report about his failed plans and hit me again. I couldn't stand it! I screamed and what I assumed was a pokémon hit him. I never saw what actually did, but I knew it was because of me."

"I ran, I ran all the way across the region to escape him. The professor found me by Lake Verity."


	9. Chapter 9 Surprises

**_I'm sorry for the short delay, and shorter story! I need to start pacing this story 'cus I'm running out of ideas! Any ideas?_**

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><p>Chapter 9<p>

Surprises

I watched Ronin closely, looking for any signs of movement.

"Come on, Ronin. It's been ten minutes."

_Maybe he's dead._ Luxray prodded his knee with his nose.

"He isn't dead, so shut it," I snapped at my pokémon, "I'm sorry."

"Who are you talking to?" His voice seemed numb.

"My luxray, he's saying you might be dead." I bent down to wrap an arm around luxray.

"You talk to pokémon?" He didn't show an expression, he just formed words.

"I hear their thoughts, and I answer them. In battle, I don't have to speak to them at all. I also feel their feelings." I was looking at him to find any sign that he was about to freak out. I wouldn't be able to handle it if he did.

"You talk to pokémon." This time it wasn't a question.

"Yes, I do believe we've covered that."

"You're the daughter of two different, very dangerous, criminals." He didn't look at me.

I flinched, "Yes. If you can't stand to be around, you can go back to the sanctuary. I don't need your help."

"You do too need my help," he finally looked at me, "you're not strong enough to take on them, even if they are your parents."

"I'm plenty strong." I could feel my words finally setting in on him, and how he relaxed. He wasn't scared of me because of my heritage.

"You stayed in school, I'm a trainer. Who do you think is stronger?"

"I have the brains, and I trained locally." I turned on my heel and walked across the room, plopping down on the chair by the window.

"Okay, think what you want but I'm sticking around whether you like it or not, Princess." His playful smirk worked its way onto his face. It was one of those smiles that made you want to melt. That alone made me hate the smile; I needed to be solid.

"Where in the world did you get princess from?" I looked at him from the corner of my eye.

"I don't know. Your dad tried to make your brother king, so why can't you be a princess?" He shrugged and lay back on the bed, folding his arms under his head.

"Because I'm not a princess, it's as simple as that." I turned my gaze out the window. I watched people pass by, and wished I wasn't on the ground floor. These were the cheapest rooms though.

"Okay. So, can you do anything else?"

"I… I can read human minds, though it nearly kills me with those blasted headaches. I can read the feelings too, but that gives me a headache also." I looked at him, waiting for a reaction.

"What am I thinking right now?" He turned his head to meet my gaze.

My jaw dropped open and I briefly considered punching him. "Did you not just hear me say it gives me headaches?"

"I was just playing, Zana. Don't worry." He waved a hand at me and I growled. I didn't find it funny.

"I'm going to go out and look around." I called in most of my pokémon, except for luxray. He was my protector, and he wasn't too big to walk around in this crowded city.

I slipped on my sunglasses before I walked out of the room without waiting for Ronin and kept walking out the hotel's doors. The sky was a happy blue, but the people here didn't even stop to look. They were too busy being busy. That was all I saw them doing: being busy. Most of them weren't actually doing anything useful. None of them stopped to look at the beauty around them. This city felt cold, even with a desert so close by.

"Newspapers, fifty cents!" A man called out from his stand. I screwed on a polite smile and approached him. I should check the newspapers for any signs of the two devils that had so generously given me my genes.

"I'll take one." I looked up at him, glad my sunglasses hid the eyes that could easily give me away as Ghetsis' daughter.

"Here ya go. That'll be fifty cents." The older man handed me the newspaper quickly and took the coins just as fast. Why was everyone in this city in a rush?

I sat down on a nearby bench and silently noted that Ronin sat next to me while I turned through the paper. There were things for how a small boy was found in the giant chasm, another story about how people believed they had spotted three legendary pokémon, and a story about a huge bank robbery. All of them piqued my interest but none of the stories mentioned any of the keywords I was looking for. I decided to follow the bank story, seeing as it was most likely to be connected to the people I hunted for.

It was easy to find the bank. People were swarming it to make sure their money was okay, but I pushed through the crowd to get inside. It wasn't much less crowded. I turned to see Ronin following behind me wordlessly. Maybe he just learned not to argue.

I slipped over the edge where there was breathing room. Maybe I could find something, spot something leading me to guess who had done this. It was a classic bad guy thing: robbing a bank to fund their livelihood and plots.

There was nothing obvious, so I began scrutinizing every little nook and cranny. There had to be _something _telling me if my birth parents or people associated with them had anything to do with this or not.

_Do you smell that? _Luxray scrunched up his nose.

"Do I look like I can?" I whispered, pretending to talk to Ronin.

"What?" I ignored Ronin, not bothering to explain.

_It smells like sand. _He shook his head. Of course sand wouldn't be appealing to him. He was an electric pokémon.

"Ah, right. Talking to the pokémon." Ronin nodded, but was watched us closely.

"The desert is close by, what do you think you'll smell?"

_It wasn't this strong outside, Zana. It should be stronger outside._ I nodded in understanding. It was kind of weird but I didn't know what it meant. I slipped back through the crowd, taking note of what kind of people they serviced. They were normal, middle class people. No one special.

For the second time within a week, I saw a mysterious person watching me from the corner of the building. This time, I wasn't so eager to approach them. I took Ronin's arm and turned around abruptly. He didn't need to meet that awful purple haired woman.


	10. Chapter 10 Fleeting Thoughts

**_I'm so sorry about how short my chapters have been. I'm kind of trying to pace myself a little, and since I'm doing that I have writer's block! I'm trying to not let it go a week without updating, though. Well, try to enjoy the story even if this chapter is brief! :D _**

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><p>Chapter 10<p>

Fleeting Thoughts

"Why did we leave like that?" Ronin flopped back down on my bed and watched me fold my now clean clothes into my bag.

"I remembered I had laundry to get." I lied lamely.

"Sure, and I'm a flying spoink." He rolled his eyes and kicked off his shoes.

"What are you doing?" I growled, "Go get your own room."

"I don't have the money, Zana. Unlike you, I'm not rich." He shrugged and snuggled into the pillow.

"I'm not rich. And there _is _a couch you can stay on." I motioned to the place next to where I was standing and walked into the bathroom.

I blinked at myself a few times in the mirror. I looked so young. I couldn't possibly be capable of bringing down my birth parents. Maybe I needed Ronin's help. I filled the bath tub and locked the bathroom door behind me.

The water came up to my neck in comforting warmth. In my mind, I pictured Ronin as a boy when he was battling. He was doing it to show off and even though I was talking to my pokémon, I had been watching him closely. The way he moved with confidence astounded me. I wanted to be able to stand like that: with shoulders straight and with a look of determination. When the battle ended, I immersed myself with the conversation so that he wouldn't see me watching him. I hated that I'd been forced to stay with him. I didn't want a friend other than the professor, Dunstan, and my pokémon.

Another amazing thing about Ronin was that he always followed me when I ran away. I highly doubted I'd follow someone if they left me, I was relish the loneliness. I thrived when I was alone.

Everything had changed since then. I had the burning desire to keep Ronin here, even though just this morning I had wanted him to leave. I was so confused and lost in myself. Everything I'd been working on in my life was going down the drain. If I became closer with Ronin, he would never let me be by myself. He'd slowly work a notch for me in his circle of friends. He'd make me go out more like he had when we went dancing.

I sank into the water deeper until my face was covered. Maybe if I could just let this water take me, I wouldn't have to deal with all that, with all the choices. I wouldn't have to ever see the people who contributed to my gene pool.

The image of Professor Rowan scolding me made me sit up gasping for the very air I was thinking of depriving myself of. He _would _scold me if he knew what I was thinking. Was I really that desperate to get rid of the decisions of making friends and avenging Rowan's death?

I listened for a moment when I thought the floorboard squeaked on the other side of the door. A moment later, it squeaked again and the feeling of a presence there was gone.

I finished everything I need to in the bath and pulled myself out. The hotel's towel was nice and fluffy when I wrapped it around me. I stood there, watching the water drain out of the tub and prolonging the time before I'd have to leave the bathroom and the bickering would begin again.

I pulled on pajama shorts and an oversized t-shirt I had with me for sleeping in and left the small hotel bathroom. Ronin lying on the couch with his arm over his eyes, but he wasn't asleep. I leaned against the wall and watched his chest rise and fall, rise and fall. His mouth was a thin line as he thought.

"What are you thinking about, Ronin?" I said, making him jump.

"Nothing, Zana." It sounded like a growl and my brow furrowed. He looked frustrated.

"Are you sure? I'm a great listener." I tried my best to give him a reassuring smile and sat down on the arm of the couch.

"I'm positive." Again, a growl.

"Okay," I stood again and went over to the bed, "if I did something to upset you, I'm sorry."

I watched his features soften and he stood up. He walked over to me and wrapped his arms around me. I stiffened, not knowing really how to react besides patting his back.

"Good night." I whispered and crawled under the covers. Luxray was still out, and was watching from his spot by the door.

"Good night." Ronin settled back into the couch.

* * *

><p>I was running again, in the pitch black room. I couldn't stop. This time, I knew I wasn't running from Ronin, I was running to find him. I kept calling out his name, desperate to find him. I'd round corners and go through small passages I somehow knew were there. The sound of moaning filled my ears no matter where I was. It wasn't getting louder or softer so I never knew if I was farther or closer to find Ronin.<p>

I just _knew_ Ghetsis had done something to him! I had to get to him before he was hurt even more. I owed him that much for all the trouble I had put him in. I knew I couldn't stop running even though my feet were aching and felt like I was bleeding. Where were my shoes?

If possible, the pitch black world got darker. I couldn't see anything, not even my own hands. I could no longer hear moaning and I felt like the world was closing in on me. I cried out as I fell to my knees, calling for Ronin one last time before I shot up in my bed.

"Calm down, I'm here." Ronin was sitting next to me and Luxray was sniffing nervously.

"I'm fine." I sighed and scooted away from him even though my heart wanted to tackle him.

"No, you're not. You were screaming." He pulled me back to him and held me close. I didn't reply, I just sat there and let him hold me. I knew something had happened to him in my dream and I knew it was bad. In my mind, I heard his moaning and the pain you could hear in the noise. Slowly, I wrapped my arms around his waist and curled up next to him. I couldn't get the noise out of my head and the thought of him in pain killed me.


	11. Chapter 11 Hiccups

**_Hey, sorry it's been so long. I seem to be saying sorry a lot, but my teachers are who I'm blaming. _**

**_Anyways, I'm thinking of doing a chapter from N's P.O.V. What do you think? _**

**_R&R! 3_**

* * *

><p>Chapter 11<p>

Hiccups

Ronin's POV

I felt like I was being watch. I didn't want to open my eyes and look though, I was too comfortable. Zana was curled up against my chest and had slept the rest of the night quietly there. I was warm and felt happy because she was safe.

The prickling of being watched got to be too much and I slowly pried my eyes open. Luxray was sitting at the foot of the bed-staring. He wasn't moving, even though I would've thought the sun would've been in his eyes. He didn't seem to be threatening me but only worried about his human.

The cute sound of a hiccup rang through the room, making both Luxray and I jump. Zana sat up and bounced again with another hiccup. I smiled gently at the purple haired girl as she kept bouncing slightly. The sound that she was making was too cute to ignore. It was high pitched, and reminded me of a little girl. She was only half awake I assumed because she still had an innocent look on her face just like she had when she'd finally fell back asleep. Again, I was reminded of a little girl. She really was just an innocent girl but was forced to live in a cruel world where she had to retreat into herself for safety.

I watched her carefully as just looked at her hands and hiccupped. Zana didn't really seem to mind it. Or maybe she was just that out of it still. I pulled her back in my arms and she looked up with eyes heavy with grogginess.

"Ronin?"

"Yeah?" I crossed my legs and Luxray moved to Zana's side of the bed.

"Thank," hiccup, "you."

I laughed, "No problem, Zana. It's what friends are for."

She squirmed again and I watched sadly as the innocence I'd seen was slowly replaced with the forever formal, calculating Zana woke up. She stood from the bed and walked wordlessly into the bathroom.

Last night, when she had started screaming my name and crying, my heart seemed to break in two. She sounded so sad, so hurt. It was like everything in her world had come crashing down. I couldn't help but hold her. It was what she needed; I felt that in the core of my being.

My phone started ringing loudly from across the room. I jumped from the bed and scooped it up.

"Hello?" A familiar feminine voice said through the speaker.

"Oh, hey, Angela." I tried to remember why she would be calling.

"So, um, where are you?" The red head sounded mad, that's for sure.

"Man!" I kicked the arm of the couch, "I forgot we were supposed to meet at the department store."

"Really? I hadn't noticed!" She hissed loudly.

"I'm sorry, Ang. Something came up. I got a friend and she really needs my help." I ran my hand through my hair and sat down.

"Where are you? I'll come help." She piped.

"No, she isn't a people person. She barely even wants me here." I sighed and watched the bathroom door as if I could see Zana on the other side.

"You're so kind, Ronin. I don't get it. You look like you couldn't have an emotion in the world but you're a giant teddy bear!" She laughed and I remembered how bipolar this girl could be.

"Ha, yeah, that's me. A giant tediursa."

"So, where are you?" Angela had that tone in her voice.

"I'm not in Sinnoh, that's all I'm going to tell you." Luxray was watching me again.

"You can't be serious! If it's something that would keep you away from a tournament, it's obviously something much more exciting! Let me come!" Angela whined.

"No, Ang. This is something Zana has to do alone and I'm only here to make sure she isn't killed in the process." I immediately regretted saying her name.

"Zana, huh? So, does Aunt Molly know Zana?" Angela had that plotting tone in her voice.

"No." I gritted out in the wrong tone. After that, all I heard was the dial tone. I cursed and stood up. She would stop at nothing for adventure, my cousin. I had tried to get her to stop in the past, but I never succeeded.

"Who was that?" Zana whispered. She was leaning against the wall but wasn't looking at me.

"My cousin, actually. She thinks I'm having the once in a lifetime kind of adventure and she wants to join us." I didn't want to hold any information back from her, especially if Angela succeeded in finding us. Zana didn't seem like the kind to like surprises.

"Isn't it a once in a lifetime chance for someone besides me? I mean, to meet two crime administrators in one go? Plus, being able to battle them?" She tugged at the end of her braid.

"I suppose so, but she's not strong enough for any of that." I waved the idea away, "she's going to try and get my mom to tell her where I am."

"Unova is a big place. She won't find us as long as we don't settle down." I watched her grab her bag and call Luxray into his pokéball.

"Are we going now?" I stood and picked up my bag from the table.

"We should." That was all she said as she walked out the door. I stood outside the hotel's doors and waited for Zana to check out. I was scoping out the city to make sure it was okay to go. A woman was watching the hotel, I noticed. I wanted to duck back in and grab Zana but I figured the woman would realize it. She had dark purple hair, but I couldn't see her eyes-they were covered by a cap.

Zana stopped in her tracks when she saw the woman, but picked up pace again. I wanted to ask her who that woman was but the look on her face told me to keep my mouth shut. I was shocked at how fast this girl could walk.

The wind whipped the desert's sand around wildly, almost blowing Zana over. We stepped back into the tunnel for a moment to secure our hats and Zana called out Flygon. Flygon cried out when she saw the desert and Zana laughed at the unheard thought. I felt left out and it was uneasy knowing it was that easy for a pokémon to make her laugh. I had to coerce her into laughing by hours of jokes and dancing.

Zana whispered to Flygon and her pokémon nodded.

"I asked her to keep an eye open for suspicious behavior." She whispered to me, being careful not to get sand in her mouth.

I nodded and we began walking through the light sandstorm. It wasn't long before Zana pulled us off the road and led us towards the main desert. I wasn't worried, there seemed to be other people there though the long forgotten construction site was kind of creepy.

The city had given up on building whatever it was and now only pokémon resided in the unfinished buildings. Zana never turned her head to face the buildings but by the way her head was cocked, I could tell she was listening to something I couldn't hear. Her face showed her thoughts like an open book and she didn't necessarily like what she heard.

"You know, Ronin, you should go on to the next city and get us a room. There's nothing important here." Zana shrugged nonchalantly.

"Then why do you want to stay?" We were standing behind a large boulder so we could talk freely.

"I'm a researcher, and these ruins seem so cool!" She seemed enthusiastic but it was so out of character.

"Are you sure?" I watched her closely, trying to watch for her tell, even though I didn't know what it was.

"Yeah, you go ahead. I'll catch up." I nodded and left. I had a bad feeling about leaving her, but I reassured myself that I wouldn't _actually _leave her. I would just follow behind her. We could get a hotel later. I turned the corner of the ridge and waited until I could hear her moving away.

She's going to be pissed when she found out I followed her, but the gut feeling I was getting told me something was just not right.


	12. Chapter 12 N's Thoughts

Chapter 12

N's Thoughts

Why was she here? Had she somehow followed me?

"N?" White's voice floated through the air, chasing me through the cave. This was like a game, like the ones I used to play with the pokémon. Only I wasn't laughing and giggling.

"I know you're here!" She called out again, and I nearly groaned in frustration. Why was she following me?

I ducked under a low rock and crawled through the tunnel that was barely big enough for me. White wouldn't look for me in this place. I curled up in the small den that some pokémon had built and abandoned and waited to hear White's footsteps.

Somehow, my thoughts wandered to my baby sister. I had seen her the other night with a man. She seemed like she was having fun, but after I talked to her, I saw the little girl our dad had made her into return. I wasn't sure what I had said was the right thing to say. Shouldn't I be encouraging her to have fun, to forget the past?

We were both refugees of sorts. Zana seemed to have found a small little place for herself, and I wished there was a place like that for me. I had to face the truth though. An intelligent, mature woman could fit in anywhere, but a man-child had nowhere in the world.

"Found you!" White's sing-song voice interrupted all thoughts. "Now, you're coming with me."

That's how I ended up in her mother's living room. White had literally dragged me all the way to another region-my home region-and pushed me into her house. I didn't have it in me to fight anymore, though.

"White, it was just lovely! This _brilliant_ girl a bit younger than you two came by and she recognized you and Black!" Her mother sure did love to talk. She reminded me of my own mom, a woman that Father had banished a year before Zana was born.

"That's not that special, Mom. We've been all over the news." White rolled her eyes and opened the fridge.

"This girl seemed to really know you from somewhere though. Such a sweet girl." Her mother cooed, and it was obvious that she was having a withdrawal from mothering.

"Okay, I'll indulge you. What was her name?" White stood up with an apple in her hand.

"Zana and she was so nice."

I stood up abruptly, "Zana? Did she have purple hair?"

"Why, yes!" Her mom laughed, "And the weirdest red eyes, kind of like…" She trailed off as her eyes widened. "Ghetsis."

"N?" White looked at me with the same look. "Do you have a sister?"

"What was she here for? Why did she come back to Unova?" I was frantic at this point. My sister couldn't have come back. I'd seen her eyes the fear of the past.

"I don't really know, she didn't talk that much. Are you who I think you are?"

"Yes, this is N Harmonia, Mom. I need you to think hard about this girl." I looked at White in shock, was she trying to help me?

"Well, she was determined about something. That was sure. And when she met me, she asked about Professor Juniper." A professor, why would she ask about them?

"Why a professor?" White echoed my thoughts and her mom pursed her lips.

"Well, she seemed awfully worried about something. Maybe she knows the professor?" Her mom perked up, thinking she had helped.

"My sister has no ties to the professors that I know of." I sat down again and tried to think.

"Did you guys hear about Professor Rowan's death? He was murdered, they say." Her mom blabbed, but it caught my interest.

"He was the Sinnoh professor right?" White asked, sitting next to me on the couch. She rubbed her hand over my shoulder, soothingly.

"Yes, it was so sad. He left his daughter all alone." Jackie shook her head slowly.

Everything seemed to click. I knew the Rowan had no children, but his _daughter_. Could that be Zana? If it was, I already knew why she was back in Unova. If Dad had found out that the professor was harboring his daughter, he'd stop at nothing to get her back. This had Ghetsis written all over it.

Before anyone had a clue, I jumped up and dashed out the door. I heard White follow wordlessly, and I called out my Reshiram. I climbed on quick and whispered for him to find my sister. I knew White followed behind of Zekrom, but I didn't care. It was nice to have a human partner for a change.


End file.
